Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Letters of Reference:

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic competence and professionals in a supervisory position.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

It is recommended that applicants complete the courses (or their equivalent as determined by the School of Pharmacy) required in obtaining a B.S. degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Psychology, or Pharmacy.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

Not required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should be approximately 500-1,000 words and should include the following elements: your interest in Temple's program; your research goals; your future career goals; and your academic and research achievements.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. The GRE scores should be in the 65th percentile or above. Recent scores have been in the range of 650-750 or more quantitative and 500-600 or more verbal.

Resume:

A resume is encouraged.

Transfer Credit:

With approval, courses specific to the field of Pharmacodynamics may be transferred into the program. Applicants must present supporting documentation (syllabus, course description, and/or transcript) for transfer consideration at the time of application. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer into the M.S. program is 6.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate:30

Required Courses:

Survey in Pharmaceutical Sciences 1 s.h.

Pharmaceutical Analysis 3 s.h.

Statistics 3 s.h.

Seminar in Pharmaceutical Sciences 1-2* s.h.

Pharmacogenomics 2 s.h.

Biochemistry 4 s.h.

Elective courses for Thesis-based M.S. degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences can be found on the website: http://www.temple.edu/pharmacy/graduate.htm

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Culminating Events:

Thesis:

The M.S. thesis is an original, theoretical, and/or empirical study that makes a contribution to the field of Pharmacodynamics. It should expand existing knowledge and demonstrate the student's knowledge of both research methods and a mastery of her/his primary area of interest. Theses should be rigorously investigated; uphold the ethics and standards of the pharmaceutical sciences; demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the primary area of interest and the broader field of pharmacodynamics; and be prepared for publication in a professional journal.

Students who are preparing to defend their thesis should confirm a time and date with their advisor and register with the Graduate Secretary at least 15 days before the defense is to be scheduled. The Graduate Secretary will arrange the time, date, and room within two working days, and forward to the student the appropriate forms. Once approved, the public announcement of the defense will be posted.

The Examining Committee will evaluate the student's ability to express verbally her/his research question, methodological approach, primary findings, and implications. The Examining Committee is comprised of at least three Graduate Faculty members. Two members, including the Chair, must be members of the Graduate Faculty of the School of Pharmacy. The Committee will vote to pass or fail the thesis and the defense at the conclusion of the public presentation.

About the Program

The School of Pharmacy offers a graduate program leading to the M.S. and the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in Pharmacodynamics. The program is designed to prepare students for positions in the pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, and faculty positions in departments engaged in biomedical research.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location:

Health Sciences

Students may take a majority of required and elective courses at the Main and Health Sciences campuses. Several courses may be offered at the Fort Washington campus. Research must be carried out at the Health Sciences campus under the supervision of an advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Full-time status is highly preferred due to the nature of ongoing research.

Interdisciplinary Study:

The program encourages interdisciplinary coursework, research, and collaborations among faculty and students with interests in Organic Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Modeling.

Affiliation(s):

Not applicable.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

Not applicable.

Accreditation:

Not applicable.

Areas of Specialization:

The Pharmacodynamics concentration involves the study of integrated drug transport and mechanism of drug action research. For more information, see our faculty's research interests as described at www.temple.edu/pharmacy/graduate_faculty.htm.

Job Placement:

Graduates generally accept employment offers shortly before or after defending their dissertation. Job opportunities for graduates include positions as postdoctoral researchers, scientists in the pharmaceutical industry, and faculty members in a variety of departments involved in biomedical research.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Degree Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students are able to take up to 9 credits.

Financing Opportunities

Support options include University Fellowships, Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistantships, and NIH training grants. Recipients of support are determined on a competitive basis during the admission process. Fellowships and assistantships include full tuition remission (up to 9 credits) and a monthly stipend. The principal duties of a Teaching Assistant (TA) include assisting faculty members in laboratory instruction, preparing apparatus or materials for Pharm.D. students, conducting recitations, grading quizzes and reports, and proctoring exams. TAs are expected to work 20 hours per week. Research Assistants (RAs) are expected to spend 20 hours per week engaged in research and will be assigned to a specific faculty member. The research subjects are determined by consultation between the student and her/his research advisor. The department attempts to make offers of assistantships on or before May 1. June 1 is the final date for acceptance or declination of department offers of support. Applications should be directed to Office of Graduate Admissions, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University School of Pharmacy, 3307 North Broad Street, Suite 528, Philadelphia, PA 19140.